Companies evaluating ERP solutions may find themselves ensnared in a net of vendor confusion. Selecting the right ERP software from among 15 or 20 seemingly good candidates is a difficult project. So, how does a company go about comparing, contrasting and ranking the various ERP software alternatives? How can it satisfy itself that it is picking a software package that best fulfills its various needs?
Unanticipated ERP license needs. Unexpected ERP add-on modules. Unknown 3rd-party software needs. Surprises like these can lead to ERP sticker-shock and cause buyer’s remorse. Unplanned ERP expenses can throw off budgets, strain resources and, in some cases, cause ERP projects to die. They can even lead an ERP buyer to a system that it would not have otherwise selected had it known the true costs.
Deciding between ERP and best-of-breed applications is no longer an issue that involves a balancing of clear tradeoffs. Over the past few years, ERP vendors have moved into the best-of-breed
For most of 2010, Canadian companies have taken a wait-and-see approach to ERP. According to IT research firm IDC, Canadian businesses are neither jumping headfirst into new ERP applications nor making significant changes to their existing systems.
Our client – a mid-sized manufacturer and distributor – recently participated in ERP software demonstrations. From its perspective, these demonstrations collectively constituted the single-most important phase of its ERP selection project. Why? Because it was our client’s only opportunity to test-drive the ERP alternatives before making a purchase.
